Hey Everyone.

I See alot of questions regarding these engines, so i figure ill post some info based on personal experiences on putting a 5.3L into my iroc-z. This is based on physically fitting it in, ill make a wiring thread next. Im going to be referring everything to fitting in a stock engine bay, oem hood etc.

Truck motors are common to swap due to their cheap price and extremely large avaliability.

Intake: The truck intake is too tall to fit under the stock hood of a 3rd gen. The truck intake must be replaced by a LS1/2/6 intake. If swapping to an LS1/6 intake, you must be aware that you need to use LS1/6 injectors & Fuel rails which ise a different injector plug then what is commonly used on truck harness's. the use of an LS1/6 intake however, allows the reuse of the truck throttle body (78mm). LS2 intakes have the correct injector plugs, however LS2's have specific fuel rails, and use a 90mm throttle body. The corvette throttle body may be used in a Electronic throttle truck harness application, otherwise an aftermarket 90mm cable throttlebody must be used.

Accessory Drive: The truck accessory drive will fit into the car, however, the high mount alternator will hit into the hood. There are several people on LS1tech who have fabricated custom brackets to lean the alternator just enough for hood clearance, and this can be acceptable to close the hood. However, the second issue with the truck accessory drive is that the upper rad hose inlet points upwards, which hits into the LS1/2/6 throttlebody which makes them un usable. I decided to replace my accessory drive with an f-body setup. This required: Crank pulley, Waterpump, tentioner, powersteering pump, PS Bracket, Alternator bracket, Alternator, Idler pulley & Belt. The truck alternator physically fits into the f-body bracket, however it is much larger then the f-body unit and hits into the steering center link. The truck engines come from the factory with a boss on the side of the motor for a bracket, however it is not drilled, or tapped. To do this you need a M10x1.5 tap & drill, you must place your bracket on with a bolt in the lower hole, then start drilling. After you have a nice pilot hole, you can remove the bracket and drill. BE SURE TO DRILL STRAIGHT! There is a third mounting hole on the alternator bracket that the truck motors have no provisions for, so only 2 holes can be used. The back support bracket may be retained from the f-body alternator. Everything else is a straight bolt on.

Motor Mounts: The OEM Truck motor mounts are an odd shape for sitting onto the frame of trucks. They simply dont fit in our cars. F-body clamshells or LSX Adaptor plates must be used with the spohn mounts or stockers.

Oil Pan: The truck oil pan is a deep sump system, which would be excellent if it could be used in the f-bodys. However, the pan hangs about 3" Below the k-member and unless you lift the car several inches, is a recipe for disaster. Do the right thing, swap the pan out for an f-body pan. You need the pan, windage tray, and pickup. I reused my o-ring from my stock pickup. I dont advise you do this, go purchase a new one. I got lucky on this.

Ignition System: The truck ignition system is a very capable setup, and is a little hotter then the Car ignition system. They sit higher and work best with a/c setups. They however wont work with Corvette fuel rail covers due to their shape.

Exhaust Manifolds: The truck exhaust manifolds also will not fit in the 3rd gen f-body. the collectors come out wide and crash into the front frame rails. I looked at the position of the collector and thought i could outsmart them by cutting them off and turning them. Turns out i was wrong, they flat out wont work. You can use stainless works LT's or F-body manifolds. I coulnt afford the LT's and didnt want manifolds so i fabricated my own headers.

I think that just about covers everythin that needs to be changed to fit them into an f-body. If anyone has questions, feel free to ask

 

Poo... I was hoping they would fit. Well, I guess that's one more thing I need to add to my ever lengthening list and subtract from my ever shallowing bank account...

Also... Not really a fitment question, but did you have to have emissions testing? I am wondering if I'll be able to get my LQ4 swap to pass '89 TPI standards w/o AIR or EGR (will have a catalytic though)...? I would hope it's possible cause my dad's poorly running '84 El Camino (w/ '78 Camaro 350 carb'd engine and TH350 trans.) can pass with flying colors on '84 305 TBI standards with only a catalytic... Granted, I haven't gone out to the garage to look at the sheets to see if there's even a difference in '84 TBI limits and '89 TPI limits...

 

You gonna have a cam it the LQ4?? I'd say it should pass. If you have to so a visual inspection maybe not. I scrapped my emissions. Thank god I can get away with it.

 

No, no cam in it for now (going all stock for now, but big plans down the road...way down the road...). And, we don't have visual here, so no worries there.

But, I'm thinking maybe I should just buy it (the AIR/EGR), cause I found a guy who'll sell the complete set up to me for $20. I mean, I'll kick myself if I leave it off, end up failing, then having to go looking around for it never to find one this cheap ever again.

Yeah, I think I'll buy it, if only to have it around just in case. That way, I can just throw it on if I fail...

EDIT: Just thought of something... If I do install AIR/EGR, will I need the two rear O2 sensors for it to work properly? If I don't have them (the rear O2's), how will the AIR/EGR operation be affected?

 

All you have to do is get some rear O2 sims or tune them out with HP Tuners. The AIR system will still work and the computer will tell the people doing the inspection the rear O2's are operational. We did this with my 01 Z-28, I disconnected the rear O2's, tuned them out and took the car in for an inspection. Passed with flying colors. This was with the factory manifolds and y-pipe with all emission BS on the car. Now it has LT's and an ORY. I'm sure the truck computer would have the same abilities as the f-body one.

 

Yeah, that's what I was wondering... I don't have HPTuners , and I don't think it is going to fit into my budget swap. I have a '99 'Vette PCM that I am going to have a mail order tuner flash either a truck or an f-body OS to, so you're probably right and it would work just the same as yours did.

For our emissions test all we have to do is the gas cap pressure test and the usual exhaust sniffer test. They don't care what engine is in the car as long as it can pass the sniffer standards for the stock setup...

I think my plan is coming together... I will leave the AIR/EGR off for now, and have it all tuned out by the mail order guys. Then, if I do by some random chance fail the test, I will have to send the PCM back to reactivate the AIR/EGR (but they have a one year "warranty" thing so small changes like that free +shipping). Then, install the hardware and hopefully be good to go. Sound like a plan...?

 

what about heater box clearance?

 

That's what I would do, just as a backup plan. I personally think it looks better leaving that smog control crap off the motor but sometimes we have to play the tree hugger game and comply.

 

I used the stock ls1 coils and clearanced the lip of the heater box. It worked. The boot of the wire does touch but it should be ok.

 

so are you saying 350 headers will work on the truck 5.3? also can you post a link to the ls1tech altenator brackets for sale

 

These are the only headers that will work that i know of unless you build your own.
http://www.hawksthirdgenparts.com/ls...omponents.aspx

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/lsx-parts-sale-45/ search here for the brackets

 

How about the truck dipstick and tube with the fbody oil pan setup?

And the truck flexplate with an fbody 4L60 - assuming the truck had a 4L60?

 

nm

 

No, you need the dipstick and tube that matches the pan. They're cheap, even new.
The LM7 truck 4L60E flexplate is the same as the LS1 Camaro 4L60E flexplate.

 

If you aren't buying the engine and trans as a complete pull out package then watch the years of your lq4 or lq9 block. Certain years ran a thicker crankshaft flange and you will need and adapter plate/spacer to hook up your trans.

 

Only the early 6.0's with cast iron heads. The aluminum headed 6.0's have the LS type spacing.

 

Didn't know that. Thought it was determined by year.

 

can an ls1 computer learn enough to run on an LM7? I just went to start my new setup this morning and it had a pretty good backfire. i didnt know if it was going to work or not but i gave it a shot lol

 

A stock tune LS1 PCM should run a 4.8/5.3/6.0, albeit poorly

A retune will make the engine run as it should. You do not have to reuse whatever PCM came on your engine from the factory. Infact, I would advise against it unless it came as a package deal. S10 or V6 van PCMs can be had for around $30 and with a reflash, youll never know the difference

 

my tune on my ls1 was leaned out a little and advanced 2 degrees of timing i think, is that far enough off stock that it would cause this? i have the 98 29lb/hr injectors on it, so i thought the leaning would help things.

 

Hard to tell without actually seeing the tune, but its doubtful

 

so using 5.3 truck accesories is possible? except that the radiator hose points towards throttle body if so whats the fix for this? Doesnt the accessories off truck leave less clearance between accessories and fans/radiator??

 

The simple "fix" is to use f-body or Vette accessories...

 

yeh but im looking for cheaper route.

 

The LS3 5th gen Camaro water pump is the longer style, and has the outlet away from the throttle.

 

It's been quite a while since I researched all of this, and ended up putting my swap on hold... But, I seem to remember that the truck setup puts the alternator to high up and causes clearance issues with the hood.

Here's a link with pics and stuff regarding the use of truck accessories...

 

so the cheapest way.... is leave truck intake on and leave it alone, for those with aftermarket hoods and clearance.

 

Well, yeah... As I remember the truck intake actually flows slightly better than the LS1 intake anyway...

However, I'm not even sure that it (the intake) will clear most aftermarket hoods. I don't remember for sure, but I think you would need quite a large cowl induction hood, as most of their clearance gains manifest in the rear of the engine compartment.

 

I'm afraid the only way you'll be able to use the truck intake and accessories is if you don't mind driving around without a hood, I'm not even sure if a cowl hood would be able to clear the intake or the alternator. Although I believe a member here that is doing a VVT swap from a truck is still using truck accessories but you'd have to either buy or make an alternator bracket that sits lower than the hood line.

 

I've seen a dual-opening ram air hood that cleared the alternator. That car didn't have a truck intake, though.

 

Don't see what the problem is, Ihave a 5.3 truck motor in my camaro. you just need 2.5 inch hood clearance at the front of intake. used 83 fiberglass hood and 68 vette scoop

 

Would you mind posting a pic? I'd like to see how it looks.

 

give me a few days, i'll need my son to show me how to attach a photo. should be around thanksgiving. working on cars (easy), using a computer (not so easy)

 

That would be great if you can, otherwise I can PM you my email address if that would work too. Either way don't waste too much time if it becomes a hassle.

You've kind of inspired me into thinking of doing a 5.3 again since the cost of FBody accessories is one of the things holding me back. I do have a fiberglass hood sitting around and your idea might be the ticket if you don't mind me doing the same.

 

Has anyone put a Corvette front drive setup on a truck block? I know the fbody setup fits but you need to drill a hole. Is the C5 setup the same?

 

Why it takes a 2.5" cowl:


The hood:


Side view:

 

This thread should be added into the sticky five7

 

Perfect! I didn't know it needed room all the way back like that.
Thank you for the pics I appreciate it.

 

I have a 84 chevy caprice coupe an doing a ls swap with the truck motor 5.3. Going with the carb setup. This is my first do it myself. Could u go into detail like the fuel injected version. Trying to get as much info as possible. Just keeping it stock with no upgrades for now. To get the swap up an working.

 

See post #5 in the sticky.

 

Carb is a modification to an LS type engine. What "detail" do you need? The LS1 swap sticky contains information to get one into a third gen, but we can't go into detail about putting one into a B-body here.

 

 

i used the info at lt1swap.com. follow the links, has every thing u need to do your swap electricaly.

 

Great info. Hope to be doing this in the near future.

 

Sorry for the bump of this thread but would a daytona hood clear same as this hood cleared the truck intake?

 

I am going to resurrect this thread one more time. In all of the research I have done the NNBS '07 water pump will work with the LS1 intake, allowing you to run the truck accessories. I have a friend that installed a turbo 5.3 in a 87 IROC used all of the truck accessories and the '07 water pump and it turned out awesome. I also just read about using the f-body alternator bracket and the truck idler pulley with spacers as well. http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/...cessory-drive/


Just one more option since f-body accessories are so darn expensive.

 

I used all of the truck acc but I made my own alternator bracket. My thread is in here. Sorry never posted a link. I used a 2010 intake and everything has worked out well. Do a search and youll find it, Ill answer any queastions that I can.

 

Sorry to reserrect the dead, but what's the years for the truck engines to look for? I know the engines with aluminum heads had the ls type crank but anything specific on the years?

 

Any year is fine as long as it has aluminum heads, stay away from the iron headed truck motors. Crank spacing is different.

 

considering JY's are overflowing with these engines, i always recommend 04+ just for the fact of lower mileage, they are rather cheap as well (4.8's 5.3's that is)